Run Don’t Run is a spectacular dance performance shown at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The dance displayed many various forms of abstract and interpretative dance. It was difficult to take in meaning from the dances but I believe it was up to the viewer to take what they may from the performance.

Firstly, they emphasized the use of the resistance bands that surrounded them. I found that this created the element of restriction that continued on throughout the whole performance. It was interesting to see all the different things they could could do in the refined area they had. Even though they were restricted I believe they were trying to show how much freedom they really had by jumping around and flailing their arms in abstract motions.

Later we begin to see more usage of partnership. Paired off by opposite gender for the most part, the male and female surrounded each other in their movements, yet they seemed very distant from one another. They rarely came in contact in a direct approach. However, one partner always seemed to have a great effect on the other’s movements. The male usually came from the side or behind and manipulated the other’s location or movement. I believe that they were trying to create a situation where even though the two were so distant, one had a great impact on another.

As for the meaning of the performance that is all that came to mind, but I found many parts of this performance to be aesthetically pleasing. In other words, some parts were just cool. When the dancers paired up into groups and mimicked each others movements I couldn’t tell what was going on, but I know that is must have taken a lot of practice. Also when the dancers complimented each others movements and created wave patterns by jumping up and down at opposite times I appreciated how well timed these movements were. It intrigued me because the movements did not seem to go along with the beat of the song, so they really had to have a lot of control over what they were doing.

The performance was a bit confusing, and to some it may have been a waste of time, but I believe the questions you obtain from the performance open up your mind and I would not mind attending other performances like this.

Approaching the BAM Fisherman space, I hold no preconceived notions of what I’m about to experience. Looking up “Run, Don’t Run” on the Internet gave my no inclination of the performance. The images I found only left me with questions of wonder. Walking in to the theater, I take note that it is smaller and more intimate than any other theater I have attended.

There is no separation or definitive line between the stage and the three rows of seats on each side. The multitudes of horizontal strings that cover the stage are so close that they tempt you to touch them. After a waiting period, the lights dim and an almost techno song begins playing, filling the ears of the viewers with the rich bass. The hour-long production begins as eight skilled dancers make their way onto the stage. They weave in an out of the strings and each other, questioning the boundaries of space.

The bodies of these dancers do all of the talking, for their faces remain completely blank the entire time. This effect is emphasized when two dancers pick up a third dancer and walk them across the stage. The dancer that is elevated lies limp, with a dead expression, as the strings cut the body into separate pieces. It is a haunting experience. However, the mood changes as the song and lighting changes. The dancers push and pull each other in a rhythmic way and create a feeling of uneasiness and the feeling of being “almost there” in the my head.

Although the dancers were extremely skilled and the performance hardly exhibited any errors, the lulls created during the moments which the performers were handling the strings, were detrimental. One of the dancers had a difficult time working on the clips, which are used to bind the strings together. This caused a pause in the performance that harmed the overall cohesion of the production. I left the performance feeling amazed by the skills of these dancers, yet still unsure about the meaning and purpose of the hour.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is well known for its eccentric shows. One of BAM’s most recent productions, “Run Don’t Run,” leaves the viewer with a sense of wonder and confusion. This interesting take on the struggle of man against society, or perhaps against life itself, uses the devices of symbolism as conveyed by hundreds of taught ropes lining the viewer’s plane of vision. As the performance begins, the viewer is presented with an array of straight, tightly drawn ropes. The lighting is dim. As the background music begins to play, and the dancers make their initial appearances, the audience is presented with music that would make them reminiscent of a factory, not a dance performance. The music is gritty, mechanical, and unkind.

 As the performance progress, the dancers begin to manipulate the ropes. As the dancers approach the ropes, they allow their weight to bend the ropes: their eyes lack focus and their mannerisms seem mechanical and methodical. They stare into the audience as if no one is there. The dancers begin lifting one another, with two doing the lifting and the other enduring the discomfort of being pushed from either side in order to remain aloft. They continue this pattern of walking, leaning into the ropes, and hoisting one another throughout the performance. This eventually evolves into more traditional (though still far removed from tradition) dance. The dancers begin to wind their limbs around one another, with one partner leading and the other completely submissive to the will of their lead. One might compare the follow dancer to a corpse or a mannequin. The follow dancer seems to possess no will at all, save perpetuating the control of their lead.

As the ropes are drawn and clamped back by the dancers, single performers being to dance in an interpretive manner; they begin by flailing their arms and legs as if to convey some sort of anger or malice. The performance culminates with each of the performers dragging themselves toward a bright light at the far end of the left side of the stage. They move toward the light like zombies or demons. The do not move naturally, rather is as if some inexplicable force is drawing them in. It is one that they cannot resist and the performers make their final exit shortly thereafter.

The performance arguably leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. Though it is evident that a lot of thought and choreography went into the performance, the intention of the artist remains ambiguous. Further, the entire show, from start to finish, seems sloppy and hard to follow. The music, while appropriate, is almost deafening to the ear. It leaves the audience unemotionally invested in the performance. The concept of the performance is undoubtedly unique, however Brian Brooks consistently fails to attach meaning to the myriad segments of the performance. Indeed, there is a need for more finite transitions and more stability. In other words, there is too much going on without any clear purpose. It is a pity that such a group of talented dancers coupled with such an original idea fails to impress because of Brook’s inability to articulate meaning. His lack of deference to his audience was a costly mistake to an otherwise impressive production.

I’ve always held a particular fascination for art forms that are slightly out of the norm, slightly more difficult to understand and slightly more difficult to enjoy. “Run, Don’t Run” is a performance that managed to tie all of those preferences together and intrigued me so much that I was unable to look away. Today’s world is often filled with performances that rely on props and costumes and endless effects, which have to be perfectly executed without any failures. This performance can be seen as the exact opposite; no excessive make up, no gaudy costumes, no over the top props. In fact, the only props were the wires across the stage, the light show and the interesting and carefully chosen mix of music that led the performance along. Those props were enough to enhance the performance and yet not take away from the pure talent and grace of the dancers, telling a story through their bodies, which I believe could be interpreted differently by everyone sitting in the room.

I may sound like I’m raving about this performance – because I am. The thing that appealed to me the most is the fact I didn’t understand it one bit. This modern interpretative/aerobic style of dance isn’t as easy to read as ballet or hip-hop. Instead, this thoroughly choreographed dance confuses the audience, makes them wonder what the point is and that is where the beauty lies. For once, you are able to watch a performance without knowing the back-story, if there even is one. You can interpret it on your own, make up a story or assume certain things, or you can sit back and watch raw talent before your eyes.

The music, never lyrical yet ranging quite a lot throughout the entire hour, lit the dancers’ spirits, it seemed, and they moved according to every beat. Although at some points the performance seemed random and maybe slightly awkward, it always coincided appropriately with the music, which is another reason why although it may not have been a story, it could be interpreted as one. The lights, constantly changing dramatically, especially with the music, did nothing but add wonder to the show, and a certain aura and mood arose with something as simple as a different color.

The wires across the entire stage were the most original element, something I’ve never seen. Due to the strangeness of this prop, one may feel strongly towards it – either love it or hate it. Personally, I attribute half the genius of this performance to the wires and to the fact that they were sparingly used yet still made an impact on the dance. Whenever the dancers were moving the wires, the audience knew another, different part of the performance was about to begin. It added some rhyme and reason to the dance, as outlandish as it may sound since it is, after all, a strange and new idea. Although there were a few hiccups with getting the wires clipped or unclipped, there was always something else going on, on stage, and unless you focused your attention on the problem, it wasn’t a significant deal.

My last, but certainly not least, favorite part of this performance was the dancers. Never breaking character they worked their magic on the stage, hypnotizing everyone with their insanely perfect adaptation of the choreography which seemed to get more and more complex. They didn’t interact very much to begin with, yet as the performance went on and on they had a lot more synced moves or group moves, which mesmerized you left and right, since usually they were happening simultaneously across the stage.

I didn’t know where to look half the time because I wanted to look everywhere and catch every moment. Although confusing and slightly outlandish, this is a performance worth seeing to open your mind a bit about how different and beautiful art can really be.

As a first time dance performance viewer, I approached this performance as a rookie otherwise known as a “noob.” Now I call myself a noob rather than a rookie because a rookie, at least has some exposure to the activity at hand. Upon first glance at the stage, the ropes aligned from wall-to-wall, floor to ceiling gave me the impression that all the ropes would be used in which I would later be greatly disappointed. The stage itself was very appealing with the light effects during the actual performance.

The lights would probably be the one factor that enhanced the performance for me and other than that, the performance failed to keep me interested. The frequent unsynchronized movements from the jumps to the dancing was distracting and it was hard to ever stay focused when it seemed like five separate dances going on at once. This dance to me could be describes as organized chaos. If there was only one dance going on, it would have enhanced the experience for me so much more allowing me to revel in the individual movements and the flow of the body. However, the different dances only served to enhance the chaos that should not have been there.

However, what was even more disappointing contributing to the organized chaos was that the ropes became more of a distraction rather than an enhancing effect for the dancers. While a dance was occurring on the other side of the stage, the ropes served more as a distraction as I couldn’t see what was happening. Additionally, for half the dance, the removal of the strings was questionable for me as it seemed it was attached together with hooks and then taken apart and attached again. Not only did this seem like a waste of time but it also seemed as if the choreographer was trying to convey something that could not be relayed to the audience.

“Run Don’t Run”… Where do I even begin to talk about this carefully-choreographed display of artistic wonder. This beautiful masterpiece, which was sponsored by the 2013 Next Wave Festival and created by Brian Brooks, had its debut at BAM in late October. I had the pleasure to experience the show on Wednesday, October 23rd, and after seeing something like this for the first time ever, I must say please do run to see this performance before it’s gone for good. I would gladly recommend this to anyone who is looking for something new to watch and any individual who is an appreciator of dancing or the arts.

I’m going to be completely honest here folks- when I first went in that evening I was not expecting much. One could say that I felt truly skeptical and doubtful of the event. But this quickly changed as soon as I walked into the stage in which the show was being held. When I saw those symmetrically arranged sets of wires set up throughout the stage, as if they resembled the strings on a musical instrument, I was suddenly struck by a feeling of mystery. “What is this all about? What’s going to happen here?” These were the types of questions that I suddenly bombarded myself with as I took my seat near the front of the area and waited patiently for it all to start.

Then, out of nowhere, the lights went dim, the group of performers- both male and female- entered the stage, and a wide array of rather interesting background music, which accompanied the entire performance throughout, came into the scene. I personally found it very visually compelling that the rays of wire began to change colors and illuminate. When the show started, I also found the wide range of choreographed ‘dance moves’ to be even more impressive.

The range of dynamic arm and leg work consisted of many different rhythmic movements comprised of varied ranges of tempo, speed, and difficulty. I have noticed that the performers began the show slowly, walking near and around the lines between the sets of wires, attempting to build anticipation and give their audience a little taste of what’s to come. Soon enough, this transitioned into a display of artistic finesse and beauty for what would soon become an hour-long masterpiece of dancing, grappling, running, and surprisingly enough many martial arts-esque ‘fighting’ as well. It is clear that these guys tried to put everything they could into this from pushing to pulling and waltzing. The dancers did everything when attempting to do their routine, which included both trying to avoid and use the wires to to their advantage.

The thing about the show which I thought was the most interesting was not the technical music score by Christopher Lancaster, the presence of the wires on stage, or even the movements of the dancers. The most memorable thing I remember from the performance would have to be the fact that they succeeded in combining all those things together to make a remarkable show. The effort and talent that the performers put into this, the way they took turns leaving and entering the stage to emphasize their importance, and the way that they took a simple dance performance and turned it into a work of art. With the styles of dancing and musical scores as well as the choreography of the dance moves, Brian Brooks managed to make this show into a type of ‘story’ or ‘play’ by utilizing the conventions of such. The show started slow with walking, built itself up with time into dancing, climaxed with fast martial arts fighting and grappling, and finally finished itself up with slow movements once again.

In conclusion, I had a lot of fun with “Run Don’t Run”. There were many things that I enjoyed about the show, and I could say that the strengths of it, such as the music and choreography, definitely manage to overcome the weaknesses, such as the slow pacing. So please, go check this one out if you can, because it definitely will not be around for long- tickets run out fast! This show really surprised me in a good way and it currently may be the best performance I have seen to date. I give “Run Don’t Run” two thumbs up!

At Brooklyn Academy of Music, also known as BAM, the performance “Run Don’t Run” took the attention of a fairly large audience. Strings could not be a more obvious sight to notice as they stretched across the whole floor, as well as extended almost to the ceiling. They were separated horizontally by a gap big enough to fit a person or two and vertically by about half of a foot. The strings seemed very flexible and easily bendable. There were also lights on the floor and on the walls.

As the dance was about to start, the whole room went dark. Then, a white light was shown on the floor. Strange music began to play as two of the dancers pursued each other in a jumping motion across the floor. As the dance performance progressed, more of the dancers came out and continued to go on with the somewhat strange dance moves. ‘Chapters’ of the performance were separated by a change in the music and its intensity, as well as the intensity of the dancers and their dances. Even the lights helped create a different mood between these transitions. During these sections of the performance, the dancers seems to do motions that fit the mood generated by both the lights and the music. There were several of these ‘chapters’ that occurred throughout the performance and within an hour, the performance had ended.

In regards of analyzing this performance, I was extremely confused at what had just occurred for the past hour. Most of the performance did not make much sense to me. I felt that it was redundant and severely extended as if it had to fill in the hour performance one way or another. However, I did understand some of what the dancers were trying to possibly portray to the audience. This portrayal was shown for me through the use of the music and lights.

An example of this would be in the first half of the performance. After very intense music and movements, things started to slow down. A somewhat dark blue light had shown itself on the floor and calm, passive music ensued. During this mood change, the dancers were executing a swimming motion next to a partner. It involved graceful movements as they kneeled on the floor doing this for about three minutes. Another example where I witnessed the strings were clamped together and a waltz-type of dance was done. The dancers moved in and out of their partner’s grasps and swings, as well as through their arms and around their bodies. As this occurred, a bright white light had shown and adventurous music played. This proceeded for about 15 minutes with many different variations and switching of partners.

In essence, I feel the main idea presented through the performance “Run Don’t Run” was the exemplification of bodily expression. If this holds true, I commend this performance for doing a fairly nice job of portraying this theme. The dancers moved their body with the music and conformed themselves to their partners when paired off. This occurred either gracefully or harshly, maybe even unusually, with the mood radiated with the music and lights. As for the strings, they acted as both barriers but more so as a way to view the body differently. The body is a barrier to the environment and represents the “I” and how one is a “being.” However, if this assumption does not hold true, I could not begin to fathom what the purpose of this performance was.